Detection and evaluation of chemically-mediated and ligand-mediated t-cell activation using optophoretic analysis

Abstract

A method for identifying activated T-cells from naive T-cells using a moving optical gradient comprises the steps of providing a sample of cells containing T-cells, moving the cells and the optical gradient relative to each other so as to cause displacement of at least some of the cells, measuring the displacement of at least a portion of the displaced cells, and comparing the measured displacement of the T-cells with a known measured displacement of naive T-cells. The method can also be used to identify T-cell activating agents.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for identifying activated T-cells from naive T-cells using a moving optical gradient comprising the steps of: 
 providing a sample of cells containing T-cells;    moving the cells and the optical gradient relative to each other so as to cause displacement of at least some of the cells;    measuring the displacement of at least a portion of the displaced cells;    comparing the measured displacement of the T-cells with a known measured displacement of naive T-cells;    identifying the activated T-cells based on the comparison of measured displacement.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding a T-cell activating agent to the T-cells.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the T-cell activating agent is a chemical compound.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the T-cell activating agent is a ligand.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of sorting the activated T-cells from the naive T-cells.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the activated T-cells and the naive T-cells are obtained from the same individual.  
     
     
         7 . A method for identifying T-cell activating agents using a moving optical gradient comprising the steps of: 
 providing a sample of cells containing T-cells;    exposing the sample of cells to a suspect T-cell activating agent;    moving the cells and the optical gradient relative to each other so as to cause displacement of at least some of the cells;    measuring the displacement of at least a portion of the displaced cells;    comparing the measured displacement of the T-cells with a known measured displacement of naive T-cells; and    determining whether the suspect T-cell activating agent has activated T-cells based on the comparison of measured displacement.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the suspect T-cell activating agent is a chemical compound.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the suspect T-cell activating agent is a ligand.